Jug closure



April 4, 1961 A. J. HUCK JUG CLOSURE Filed March 7, 1960 ATTORNEYSz,97s,1sz

we CLOSURE Alfred J. Huck, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to lsnapp MonarchCompany, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 7, 1960,Ser. N0. 13,076 6 Claims. (Cl. 215-13) This invention relates to jugclosures and more particularly automatic venting closures for insulatedliquid containing jugs having dischargeispouts or spigots.

One object of the invention is toprovidea jug cap that is threaded ontoa jug neckin theconventional man ner,but is novel in that-it has ahollowsection or socket and a hinged lid therefor that serves two purposes,first to provide a vent hole which is closed whenever the lid is closedand second to provide additional thermal insulation for the jug in thearea where it is very much needed; at the top where thermal losses occurmore than elsewhere throughout the jug structure.

Another object is to provide a two-piece cap representing aminimumrnumber of parts which are simple to manufacture, that providesspace to store drinking cups, that provides the desired additionalthermal insulation referred to, and that provides for automatic ventingof a jug of the spigot or spout type.

Still another object is to provide an arrangement where in the user,upon opening the lid to remove one or more cups, automatically exposesthe vent hole in the cap to permit flow of air from the outside of thejug through the vent hole to the liquid contained in the jug so thatthere is free flow'thereof through either a spigot or spout into thedrinking cup. Thus, it is merely necessary for the user to lift up theedge of the lid, and thereby permit flow of air through the ventingholeof the jug cap.

A further object is to provide a jug cap which constitutes a sealingmember that need not be removed when the jug is being used, providedthat the lid of the cap is lifted so as to openup a vent hole and thuseliminate the possibility of vacuum in the jug.

Still a further object is to provide a cap and hinged lid combinationthat cooperate to form a closeable compartment for drinking cups, a partof the lidcooperating with a vent of the cap to automatically close itwhen the lid is closed and to automatically open it when the lid isopened to gain access to the cups.

With these and other objects in view, my invention 2,978,132 PatentedApr. 4, 1961 erence numeral 10 to indicate the outer shroud ofaninsulated jug J, 12 the inner lining thereof, and 13 the neck of thejug, which parts may be formed of sheet metal or the like, the neck 13having a thread 14 formed there around in the usual manner. Insulatingmaterial 15 is packed in the space between the shroud 1'0 andthe liner12 whereby an insulated jug is formed and a rubber or consists in theconstruction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my jugclosure, whereby the objects above contemplated are attained, ashereinafter more fully set forth, pointed. out in my claims and illusforms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which i Fig. 3 is anenlarged vertical sectionalview on the line ing cups stored in the jugcap and the lid open to effect venting; J 1 p a 1 Fig. 4 is afragmentary front. elevational of a portion of Fig. 3 as indicated by.the line 44 thereadjacent, showing detailsofalid; and

Fig. 5 is a section al view of a; portion of Fig. 3Is how- 'in gtheclosed position of the lid-of'my jug closure relative to the capthereof.

' 3-3 of Fig. 2 showing my novel jug closure with drink-. 1

. other side provided with af protuberance to spring into at s.ad ne Iheveu ifthe refsa di ve'm opening when said lid 'is n close fpg itineoprene joint 16 is provided between the upper end of the liner 12 andthe upper end of the neck 13 to minimize heat transmission. The upperend of the liner 12 is also formed into an annular bead 17 for closurepurposesas will hereinafter appear.

A closure C is provided which is preferably formed of insulatingmaterial, although it may be formed of metal if desired. As illustrated,it is molded in one piece to a shape that hasan annular top wall 18, adepending flange 20 provided with screw threads22 to coactwith thethread 14 formed on the jug neck 13, and a socket at the center having abottom wallr2'4 and a cylindrical wall 26. A sealing gasket 28 isprovided between the top wall 18 and the annular head 17. r V The jug Jis illustrated as having a spigot 38 provided with a push button foropening in the usual manner (or in place of the spigot 38 there may be aspout with a removable cork or cap associated therewith). In either caseit is necessary to vent the upper portion of the jug to atmosphere inorder to secure full flow of liquid from the spigot or spout. For thispurpose I provide the cylindrical wall 26 of the cap C with a ventopening 36.

The cap C has a lid L hinged thereto which comprises a pin-likeextension 31 at one side of the top wall 30, .the ends of which aresprung into forked projections 33 molded on the top wall 18 of the cap Cat one side thereof. Opposite the hinge 31 a downward projection 32 isprovided having a spherical projection 35 adapted to seat in the ventopening 36 in the closed position of the lid L as shown in Fig. 5 anddotted in Fig. 3.

The space or socket within the cap C formed by the bottom wall 24 andthe cylindrical wall 26 in conjunction with the lid L provides an airspace within the cap for further insulating eificiency at the top of thejug where most thermal leakage occurs. This space is also suitable forthe storing of a plurality of identical-shaped, nested or stackeddrinking cups C formed of metal or plastic material as desired. Also bystoring them therein, the user automatically opens the vent 36 when gaining access to the cups to use them by opening the lid L. After the cupsare removed, the lid may be partially but not completely closed as tothe dot-and-dash line position of Fig. 3, and thus the vent is left opento admit air to the jug while" drawing liquid therefrom.

Thereafter, following return of the cups to their stored position in thejug cap, full closure of the lid automatically recloses the vent 36 asin Fig. 5, at which the downward projection 32 is under a bending stressthat firmly seats the spherical projection '35 in the vent opening 36.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of theparts of my jug closure without departing from the real spirit andpurpose of my invention, and it is myintention to cover by my claims anymodified may reasonably be included within their scope I claim'as myinvention:

1 1. In a jug'closure, a jug cap having provisions :for' screwing thesame on the neck of a jug, said cap hav ing a depressed socket in'itsupper surface adapted to receive a cup for storage therein, the wall ofsaid socket having a vent opening therethrough, '-a. lid for'the openupper end of said "socket, said lid being hinged at one side to saidjugcap and having a resilient latch mas 2. In a jug closure, a jug capscrewed onto the neck of a jug, said cap having a depressed socketdepending from the upper wall thereof, the wall of said socket having avent opening theretlirough, a closure element for said socket, saidclosure element comprising a lid hinged at one side to said jug cap andhaving a protuberance at its opposite side to frictionally engage insaid vent opening when said closure element is in closed position,

the space between said closure element and within said 7 socket beingadaptable for receiving a plurality of stacked drinking cups.

I 3. A jug closure comprising a jug cap mounted on the neck of a jug,said cap having a depressed socket in its upper surface, the wall ofsaid socket having a vent opening therethrough, and a closure elementfor said socket having a latch provided with a spherical protuberance toseat in said vent opening when said closure element is in closedposition, the space between said closure element and within said socketbeing adaptable for receiving a plurality of stacked drinking cupsand/or providing an air space for thermal insulating purposes.

4. In a jug closure, a jug cap having provisions for screwing the sameon the neck of a jug, said cap having a depressed socket therein, thewall of said socket having a vent opening therethrough, and a lid forsaid socket having means to automatically close said vent opening whenever said lid is in place, said lid when removed exposing said ventopening to atmosphere.

5. In a jug closure, a jug cap having provisions for mounting the sameon the neck of a jug, said cap having a socket depending from the upperwall thereof, and a lid normally closing said socket, the wall of saidsocket having a vent opening, said lid having means normally closingsaid vent opening whereby opening of said lid exposes the vent openingto atmosphere, said socket .being adapted to receive a plurality ofnested drinking cups which are accessible by opening said lid.

6. In a jug closure, a jug cap having provision for mounting the same ona jug, said cap having a vent opening therethrough, a lid for said caphaving a latch provided with means for normally closing said ventopening whereby opening of said lid automatically exposes said ventopening to atmosphere, and reclosing of said lid automatically closessaid vent opening.

No references cited.

